haiti-story.jpgHIGHLAND - It's a long way from the Springfield diocese, but over the last 25 years St. Paul Parish in Highland has been reaching out spiritually and financially to St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Haiti. That's why early in May, Bishop Yves-Marie Pean of the Diocese of Gonaives and Msgr. Max Leroy Mesidor, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, paid St. Paul parishioners a visit to thank them for their support and to celebrate their silver anniversary as sister parishes. Beginning back in 1983, students at St. Paul School under the leadership of their then-principal Rose Mersinger, donated money they had raised for the missions to assist in building a school in the hills of Gonaives. The next year, adult parishioners became involved as well.
"Back in 1984, Father (Martin) Mangan and a core group of lay parishioners of St. Paul felt very strongly we needed to heed the Gospel call to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate - the many who were experiencing extreme poverty in the world," said Father Charles Edwards, pastor of St. Paul since 2007.
"Len Daiber led our parish's response and helped us to adopt the Cathedral of St. Charles Borromeo in Gonaives. From that time on, with Father (David) Peters as pastor for 21 years, our parish of St. Paul has continued to respond generously to the needs of our sister parish and shared financial resources to help them," said Father Edwards.
Over the last quarter century St. Paul Parish has sent more than $650,000 to St. Charles Borromeo. The money has built and equipped churches and schools, health clinics, hospitals and supplied so much more, said Bishop Pean.
As part of the St. Paul-St. Charles Borromeo anniversary celebration Bishop Pean and Msgr. Mesidor visited the students at St. Paul School, celebrated an all-school Mass with them and toured various sites in the area. On May 8, the two also traveled with Daiber and a few others to see the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach in Springfield, said Bruce Compton, president of Mission Outreach.
The four-day visit culminated with a Mass on May 9, which was concelebrated by Bishop Pean, Msgr. Mesidor, Father Edwards, Father Aloysius Ndeanaefo, parochial vicar at St. Paul, and Father Peters, who retired in 2007. Students of St. Paul Parish provided the music and sang the Gospel Acclamation in Creole, the native language of Haiti.
Bishop Pean gave the homily, after which Father Edwards, Bishop Pean, Msgr. Mesidor, as well as the St. Paul Parish trustees Ed Frisse and Warren Walter, pastoral council president Brad Scott and finance council president Howard Held signed a recommitment document, which reaffirms the commitments of the two parishes to one another. Copies of the document will hang in both parishes.
Following the Saturday afternoon liturgy, a dinner was held in the parish center. The proceeds from the dinner, as well as funds generated by a raffle of Haitian items, donations from the monthly Haiti collection and several other generous donations enabled Father Edwards to present Bishop Pean with a check for $10,000. Additionally, five vessels (ciboriums and chalices) were presented to be used in Haitian parishes.
"Over the years many parishioners have traveled to visit our sister parish, bringing parishioners of both parishes to share faith and friendship," said Father Edwards. Plans are now being made by several St. Paul parishioners to visit St. Charles Borromeo, probably in 2010.
Bishop Pean and Msgr. Mesidor celebrated or gave the homily at all the parish liturgies that weekend. As they were leaving May 11 Bishop Pean said, "I have never been received in the hearts of my brothers and sisters in Christ like I have been here at St. Paul."